Electricity-measuring surge protector

Could this be the most complicated power strip yet? The snappily-titled Power Cost Controller Power Strip is intended to not only replace your current surge protector but also replace your energy-squandering ways thanks to a big dose of electric-reality. Consumption and cost are both displayed on the LCD display, measured in kilowatt-hours so you can directly compare with your energy provider's prices.

The strip also stores records of power use, viewable by hour, day, week, month or even year, so you can see whether you've become eco-friendly or eco-fiendish. Anyone concerned about the quality of their power supply can also use the system to check voltage, line frequency and power factor. It'll handle 8 to 8,000W appliances, and has eight sockets.

Of course, unless you have only eight electrically-powered devices in your home, this gadget isn't going to tell you your whole-house performance. For that you might want to look at one of the systems that fit to your main circuit box. However they tend to be more expensive than the (still not cheap) $99.99 Computer Gear are charging, and this at least lets you target some of your profligate electronics. It's available now.